CAI-NJ-May.2016

M A Y , 2 0 1 6

See the complete list of Ultimate Sponsors on page 2 of this issue.

every community association board – every owner must pay

each assessment, and pay it on time, or they place the plans

and hopes of the community in jeopardy. Our “smart collec-

tions” program rejects clerical- and/or paraprofessional-driven

collection efforts as those efforts ignore the importance of

unpaid assessments. We appreciate how crucial the payment

of assessments and maintenance fees are. We appreciate

the difficulties faced by communities and buildings ravaged

by widespread arrearages, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and

abandoned homes and units. That appreciation allows us to

use a more efficient, modern and cost-effective approach to

the difficulties. Our program depends upon total transparency,

as well as attorneys that work side-by-side with boards and

managers to devise strategies tailored to the particular situ-

ations, arrearages and/or disputes presented We consider

every strategy -– always with the client’s financial position

in mind – whether it be negotiation, monitoring, settlement,

money judgment, foreclosure, seizure of ‘surrendered’ units,

generating revenue from rentals and/or rent receiverships.

That is all done in connection with the way we handle these

matters while balancing the client’s need to manage and limit

its legal fees and costs. In the end, we help our clients create

a ‘culture of payment’ in and throughout their communities and

buildings.

What would someone be surprised to learn

about your company?

The 1980 movie

Act of Love,

starring Ron Howard,

Mickey Rourke, and Robert Foxworth, is based on the

successful defense of Lester Zygmaniak by retired AGA

partner Robert Ansell. In 1973 Zygmaniak was acquitted

in the mercy killing of his brother George who had been

paralyzed from the neck down in a motorcycle accident in

June of that year. Lester ended his brother’s life by shooting

him in his hospital bed in Jersey Shore Medical Center “in

full view of the nurses and five other patients,” according to

a November 5, 1973 Associated Press account of the trial.

Robert Ansell argued that Lester was temporarily insane at

the time of the shooting and after two-and-a-half hours of

deliberation, the jury acquitted him based on that defense.

Have you received any recent awards or

certifications?

Earlier this year the Greater Ocean Township Chamber

of Commerce recognized our lengthy history of support-

ing causes in the community by naming us it’s 2016

Philanthropy Award. Additionally, AGA recently received

the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross’ 2016

Clara Barton Corporate Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Professionally, Ansell’s lawyers have been recognized

as among the top performer in their fields repeatedly by

industry organizations and publications. This year six Ansell

attorneys, including Mark Wiechnik and Rich Linderman,

two of our community association law group’s partners,

have been named as Super Lawyers or Rising Stars by the

Thompson Reuters publication.

What are some trends you see in the

community association industry?

The community association industry is still relatively

young, and as such is still experiencing some growing

pains as new issues continue to crop up and need to be

dealt with for the first time. Having recently experienced

the greatest foreclosure crisis in US history, the industry

is learning just how vulnerable it is to broader economic

trends and gyrations. As the crisis winds down we have

the opportunity to consider the lessons learned and put a

framework in place to ease the difficulties of dealing with